Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz didn’t hide his frustration when he spoke to the media on Saturday, unloading on the state of college football eligibility as lawsuits, injunctions, stays and other legal battles keep piling up.
“This is the second-biggest sport in the United States, most-watched sport in the United States, and for us to be operating like this is a complete clown show. And it’s disappointing,” Drinkwitz said.
He said coaches have been warning about the problem for years, only to be ignored as the mess grew worse.
“Coaches have been on the forefront of saying this, and it’s been ignored. It’s been ignored.
“And you know I would say now the, this is what they get. That’s what they’ve got.
So, you know administrators and courtrooms have got to figure out what the rules are now. And we’ve been saying this for years and years and years.
“So, you know, I’m going to focus on my team. If I’m told that I can add players, then then I’ll look to add players.
I’m going to do whatever I’m supposed to do to help the University of Missouri win. That’s my job.
That’s what the president, the board, and the fans expect out of me.”
The comments didn’t land well with plenty of people online, where Drinkwitz drew plenty of pushback. Some fans accused him of being jealous of bigger programs that can lure NFL players back to college, while others took shots at Missouri’s recent decision to claim a national championship in 1960.
“The only clown show is Missouri and the all of the teams who claim 1960 as their natty,” one user replied.
“Don’t worry little bro nobody from the NFL wants to play for Missouri,” wrote another.
“Sounds like a team that can’t recruit those caliber of players…” a third wrote.
“Claiming a National Championship is embarrassing…”
For now, the bigger question is whether any of those former NFL players actually show up in college football lineups once the season gets underway next week. The 2026 college football season has started, but the teams trying to make this work won’t take the field until then.
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